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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, March 11, 2002

Awards

Advertiser Staff

The Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C., has awarded $149 million to library agencies throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, with $895,088 going to Hawai'i.

The money, awarded through the Library Services and Technology Act, will be administered by the State Library Administrative Agencies.

The primary goals of the grants are to provide technology and support for networking and resource sharing and to provide service to people who have difficulty using a library, with special emphasis on children in poverty.

The local goal is to provide statewide electronic access to information and materials. The database can be accessed from 50 local branches, the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, 255 public school libraries, and about 95 private, special and military libraries. Colleges, universities, homes and businesses are also linked.

• The Japanese government has awarded a $502,000 grant to The Pacific International Center for High Technology Research to be used for providing residential solar-power systems in rural communities.

The solar-power project is part of the center's Renewal Energy Rural Electrification Initiative.

The grant will also be used for education and technical training in the Pacific islands and for a Distributed Energy Development Program. To date, Japan has awarded

$12 million to the high-tech research center.

"These research projects have and will continue to have dramatic impact on the lives of Pacific islanders," said Dennis Teranishi, the center's chairman. "PICHTR's home solar systems allowed those in rural communities to enjoy a new way of life with solar-powered lighting and small electronics such as radios."

The annual grant is a result of an agreement reached in 1985 between President Reagan and Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, to undertake cooperative technology research development in Hawai'i that benefits Asian and Pacific countries.

• The Hawai'i Justice Foundation has awarded grants totaling $190,000 to 27 nonprofit programs that are providing justice-related help to Hawai'i's people.

The foundation monitors the legal needs of Hawai'i's low- and moderate-income people and finds financial, technical and organizational support to meet those needs.

The grant recipients:

Advocates for Public Interest Law, Domestic Violence Clearinghouse and Legal Services Hotline, Ethnic Education Foundation of Hawai'i, and Hawai'i Friends of Civic & Law Related Education.

Also, the Island of Hawai'i YMCA-Mediation Services, Kanu o Ka 'Aina, Kokua Legal Services, Learning Disabilities Association of Hawai'i, Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i, Mediation Center of Moloka'i, Mediation Center of the Pacific, and Mediation Services of Maui.

Also, Na Loio, Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., University of Hawai'i Elder Law Program, Volunteer Legal Services Hawai'i, West Hawai'i Mediation Services, YMCA of Kaua'i, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Honolulu, and Boys & Girls Club of Honolulu.

Also, Hale Kipa, Hawai'i Foodbank, Kids First Program, John Howard Association of Hawai'i, Mediation Center of the Pacific, Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem Program and Waikiki Health Center.